Erica Verrillo has written seven books and published five. She doesn't know why anyone with an ounce of self-preservation would ever want to publish. But, if you insist on selling your soul to the devil, learn how to do it right: marketing, literary agents, book promotion, editing, pitching your book, how to get reviews, and ... most important of all ... everything she did wrong.
She's a member of PEN, and in the interest of protecting the 1st Amendment, she did not vote for Trump.

Visions. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme of "Home." Payment: 4 to 5p (~6¢) per word. The final fee will be decided together with the author. Deadline: May 1, 2018.

Lethe Press: The Decadents. Genre: Gay male short stories. Stories should be set during the 18th or 19th century. Payment: Payment for reprints is 1.5 cents per word. Payment for original fiction is 5 cents a word. Deadline: May 2018 (no date).

Havok: Rampage! Monsters vs. Robots. Genre: Speculative fiction. Length: Story should be between 300 and 1,000 words long. Sub-genres: Giant robots, giant monsters, giant giants, Kaiju. From Transformers to King Kong, from Voltron to Godzilla, these are classics of the sci-fi genre. In this issue, we’re looking for a twist on the classic monsters vs. robots trope. Whether they’re duking it out over territory, bumbling and making things worse for the humans they’re trying to save, or are well-meaning but unable to control their own power and rage, these creatures need to tear up the pages and make us cower in fear from the destruction they leave in their wake. Who saves the world better? Let the games begin. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: May 4, 2018.

Sword & Sorceress. Genre: Fantasy "sword and sorcery" stories with a strong female protagonist. Length: up to 9,000 words, with preference given to shorter stories. Payment: 6 cents per word as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales. Deadline: May 13, 2018.

Spider Magazine. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, activities, crafts, and recipes for children on theme of Inventions. "We are looking for LGBTQAI+ inclusive fiction, poetry, and non-fiction manuscripts. We would like to see warm family stories, an entire story without gender pronouns, children with different gender expressions, and gentle realistic or metaphorical coming out stories. We are especially interested in matter-of-fact stories where being different isn’t the heart of the story, but part of the character’s identity." Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word, Poems: up to $3.00 per line; $25.00 minimum, Activities and recipes: $75.00 flat rate. Deadline: May 15, 2018.

Tesseracts Twenty-two. Restrictions: Canadians only. Genre: Speculative fiction on the theme of Alchemy and Artifacts. Payment: Payment for short stories is prorated as follows: $50 for stories up to 1,500 words, rising to a maximum of $150 for stories up to 5,000 words. Deadline: May 15, 2018.

Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space): A Pirate Anthology. Genre: Pirate stories. "We’re looking for stories about pirates who sailed the Caribbean under the Jolly Roger, Barbary Corsairs, pirates in the China Sea, pirates in the Irish Sea, pirates in the ancient Mediterranean, pirates in outer space, pirates in fantastical settings, you name it." Payment: $100, $50 for reprints. Deadline: May 15, 2018.Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tale on theme of "Summer." Length: 1, 500 words. Payment: Story $20. US dollars only. Deadline: May 20, 2018.

Griffith Review 62: Novella Project VI (Australia). Genres: Novella and CNF. "We are open to fiction and long-form creative non-fiction that explore individuals, social movements, particular moments or notable episodes in the struggle towards equality. We’re looking for novellas, memoirs, biography or reportage that bring to life issues, and the stories around them, in the national narrative. They can be historical or contemporary, small scale or global, personal or philosophical, but which illustrate and bring to life the realities of political struggle in its many forms across the nation." Payment: Rates vary. Deadline: May 21, 2018.

Kweli Journal. "Kweli is the first online journal of its kind to celebrate community and cultural kinships. In this shared space, you will hear the lived experience of people of color. Our many stories. Our shared histories. Our creative play with language. Here our memories are wrapped inside the music of the Muscogee, the blues songs of the South, the clipped patois of the Caribbean." Genre: Self-contained novel excerpt, short story, or creative non-fiction piece, poetry. Length: No more than 7,000 words. Payment: "upon publication." Deadline: May 30, 2018.

The Wyrd. Genre: Stories that come with a heavy dose of the uncanny, the strange, and blend literary, science-fiction, fantasy, mystery and horror tropes. Payment: $10. Deadline: May 30, 2018.

Arc. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page for poetry or prose published in the magazine. $50 per webpage for online reprints on the website. $50 per column for How Poems Work. Deadline: May 31, 2018.Beyond the Infinite - Tales from the Outer Reaches. Genre: Dark Fiction. Payment: $50 AUD for a story, as well as a copy of the book in paperback form. Deadline: "End of May."

The Gettysburg Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays. Payment: $2.00 per line for poetry and $15 per printed page for prose. Published authors also receive a copy of the issue containing their work and a one-year subscription. Deadline: May 31, 2017. (Charges small fee for online submissions. No fee for snail mail.)

Agni. Genre: Poetry, short stories, essays, stand-alone novel excerpts. Payment: $20 per page for prose and $40 per page for poetry, with a $300 maximum. Deadline: May 31, 2018.

Nashville Review. "Nashville Review seeks to publish the best work we can get our hands on, period. From expansive to minimalist, narrative to lyric, epiphanic to subtle—if it’s a moving work of art, we want it." Genre: Short stories and poems. Payment: $100/story, $25/poem. Deadline: May 31, 2018.

New Rivers Press. Genre: Manuscripts of creative nonfiction, essays, and mixed-genre work between 70 and 120 pages in length. Payment: Royalties. (Advance?) Deadline: May 31, 2018.

Black Coffee & Vinyl. Genre: Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction, Visual Art, Photography, Music on the theme of "Ice Culture." "We are seeking work that features the physical and spiritual beauty of our world's ice, explores the life of the people and cultures that are connected to the ice from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica, and addresses important political issues related to ice." Payment: $50. Deadline: May 31, 2018.

FurPlanet Anthology: Exploring New Places. Genre: Furry stories about going someplace new. That journey can be anything, from a comedy about someone going on a packaged vacation to an exotic resort where everything goes wrong, or a romance where they find Mr. or Ms. Right, to a horror story about an expedition to explore a new planet, or a historic drama about a sailing ship blown off course in a hurricane to an unknown continent. Payment: 1/2 cent per word. Deadline: May 31, 2018.

Note: I am adding some June 1 deadlines to this list because it is good to get submissions in a little early.

Spark: The “Aww” Factor. Genre: Flash fiction between 300 and 1000 words. "Write us a story where a single parent meets his daughter’s science teacher and there’s chemistry or maybe a vet falls for a police officer who brings in his K9. Think sweet and charming stories that make us go “aww!” Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: June 1, 2018.

Monday, April 23, 2018

There are three dozen free writing contests in May, some with substantial prizes.

As always, these contests cover every genre, form and style, from full-length manuscripts, to speculative fiction short stories and poems, to essays.

Make sure to read the guidelines carefully. Many writing contests have regional and/or age restrictions.

Note: Many of these contests are held every year, so if you missed one you'd like to enter, you may be able to catch it next year. For a month-by-month list of free contests, go to Free Contests.
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Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to writers enrolled in a Native American tribe from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Nebraska who have not published a book of creative writing. Genres: Short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or drama/screenplays. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2018.

Erbacce-prize for Poetry (UK) Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will be given a publishing contract with erbacce press who will publish a perfect-bound collection of the winner's book. "We will pay all costs including the legal registering of the book and supplying copies to the major libraries. The book will be sold through our sales/shop pages and the poet will be paid 20% royalties." Deadline: May 1, 2018.

Frontier New Voices Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to poets who are 50 or older and who do not have a full-length collection published or forthcoming at the time of submission. Prize: $500 grant meant to be used toward covering industry submission costs, multiple publications (original poetry and prose) in Frontier, participation in our editorial community, and introductions to agents and presses. Deadline: May 1, 2018.

Crucible: Poetry and Fiction Competition is sponsored by the Barton College Department of English. Genres: Fiction (limited to 8,000 words or less) and poetry (limited to five poems). Restrictions: All work must be original and unpublished. Prizes: $150.00 First Prize. $100.00 Second Prize. Publication in the Crucible. Deadline: May 1, 2018. Questions Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors aged 18-30. Genre: Short stories of any genre or nonfiction between 1500 and 2000 words. Prize: First place winners (or prize pool for a tie) is $2000. The work will also be published in a book. Deadline: May 1, 2018. Polari First Book Prize. Genres: The prize is for a first book which explores the LGBT experience and is open to any work of poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction published in English. Self-published works in both print and digital formats are eligible for submission. Restrictions: Writer must be born in UK or resident in the UK. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: May 1, 2018. West Virginia Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open to West Virginia residents or students. Genre: Short fiction, 5,000 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2018. Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Whiting welcomes submissions for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, the sciences, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, and personal essays, among other categories. Writers must be completing a book of creative nonfiction that is currently under contract with a publisher. Writers who signed a contract before May 2, 2016, are eligible. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: May 2, 2018. Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Program. Restrictions: Debuting authors and writers with fewer than three previously published books who have yet to receive a major literary award are eligible for consideration. Exceptions are sometimes made for authors who have published more titles, but have yet to break out to a larger audience. Submissions must be original publications, penned by one author. Self-published works not allowed. Genres: Published or scheduled to be published fiction and literary nonfiction. Prize: $10,000 in each genre and in-store marketing/merchandising from Barnes & Noble. 2nd Place $5,000 in each genre, 3rd Place $2,500 in each genre.Deadline: May 3, 2018.Bacopa Literary Review. Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. Prizes: First ($200) and Runner-Up ($160) prizes in each genre. All published will receive $20 and a copy of the print journal. After publication, Bacopa 2018 will be promoted online. Deadline: May 3, 2018.

Enterprise Through Literature Contest for High School Students. Restrictions: Open to high school students teams (up to four people). Genre: Video and essay. "The theme of this year’s ETL contest is Individual Identity in Utopia and Dystopia. In a utopia/dystopian society, how does the restriction of an individual’s rights impact their role in society and therefore entrepreneurial spirit? Cite examples from both your chosen piece of literature and real world examples. The essay should be between 250 and 500 words and should concisely explain the link between the video and the work of literature." Prize: $2,000. Deadline: May 4, 2018.Letters Never Meant to be Read. Genre: Stories in the form of letters from the author to someone in his/her life. Letters should tell a story, but can range from heartfelt to funny to sarcastic to vengeful – whatever works. Prize: $50-200 and print publication. Deadline: May 4, 2018.

A Very Short Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction (10 words max). Prize: Free Gotham 10-week workshop. Deadline: May 14, 2018.The James Laughlin Award is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Genre: A second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Must be under contract with US publisher. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Prize: $5,000, an all-expenses-paid week long residency in Florida, and the Academy will purchase approximately 1,000 copies of the book for distribution to its members. Deadline: May 15, 2018.

Leeway Foundation: Transformation Award. Restrictions: Women and transgender poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Award: $15,000. Deadline: May 15, 2018.

Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award. Genre: High-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience. Diversity includes literal or metaphorical inclusion of characters of underrepresented ethnicity, religious background, gender identity, class, mental or physical disability, or any other nondominant populations. Prize: American Express® gift cards totaling $1,500, round trip travel to New York City, and the honor of a one-day mentorship with a Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ professional children’s book design and editorial team. Submission will be reviewed for publication. Deadline: May 15, 2018.

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between March 14, 2018 and May 15, 2018. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: May 16, 2018.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between March 14, 2018 and May 15, 2018. Deadline: May 16, 2018.

Texas Book Festival Youth Fiction Writing Contest. Hosted by the Texas Book Festival and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) at the University of Texas at Austin. Restrictions: Junior and high school Texas students. Genre: Original fiction, no more than 2,000 words in length on theme of “What Really Happened.” Prize: Winners receive a cash prize: $250 for first place, $100 for second, and $50 for third. In addition, winners are awarded a plaque, have their stories published on the TBF website, and are invited to participate on a panel during the Texas Book Festival weekend. Deadline: May 18, 2018.

DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. Genre: Published book with themes based on South Asian culture, politics, history, or people. Entries must have been first published in English between February 15 of the previous year and April 15 of the deadline year. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: May 20, 2018. Extended to May 31.

Narratively. Untold Story Award. Genre: Nonfiction on the theme “Renegades.” An epic feature story that requires long-term, in-depth reporting. The reporter should spend time as a fly on the wall in the daily lives of their subjects, and become an expert on the characters and the topic (up to 6,000 words). "We’re looking for stories of rebels with a cause, dedicated activists, game changers, anyone going against the grain and making a real, measurable impact. Not limited to the political world, we’re seeking stories of people who are leading the charge and shaking up whatever sphere they occupy." Prize: One Grand Prize Winner will receive $5,000 to fund their story. Deadline: May 21, 2018.I Must Be Off! Travel Writing Contest. Genre: Travel articles, travel anecdotes and travel reflections. Prize: $200. Deadline: May 30, 2018.

The Canadian Women Artists’ Award. Restrictions: Open to Canadian women living in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. and between the ages of 21 and 35 before the application deadline. Genre: Fiction, poetry. Grant: $5,000. Deadline: May 30, 2018.

The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans. This creative writing contest for U.S. military veterans and active duty personnel is hosted by The Iowa Review and made possible by a gift from the family of Jeff Sharlet (1942–69), a Vietnam veteran and antiwar writer and activist. The contest is open to veterans and active duty personnel writing in any genre and about any subject matter. Prizes: First place: $1,000 plus publication in The Iowa Review. Second place: $750. Three runners-up: $500 each. Deadline: May 31, 2018.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Warm weather marks the beginning of conference season for writers. In May there are nearly three dozen writing conferences that span the country from one coast to the other. There are conferences that focus on the craft of writing, pitch conferences with agents and editors, and retreats for those who just need to get away.

Conferences that include intimate coaching sessions tend to fill up quickly. I have included these, even if they are full, so you can plan ahead for next year. Planning ahead also gives you an opportunity to apply for the scholarships offered by some of these conferences. You can find a comprehensive list of conferences throughout the year here: Writing Conferences.

Washington Writers Conference 2018. May 4 - 5, 2018: College Park, MD. "We begin Friday evening, May 4th, with a meet-and-greet-and-eat reception (cash bar), followed by a “How to Pitch to Agents” panel to help you succeed during Saturday’s pitch sessions. Several past attendees have signed with agents and/or landed book deals after pitching at our conference! And one agent alone obtained five book contracts for his new clients! Keynoter will be Bob Schieffer, veteran broadcast journalist, former CBS News anchor and “Face the Nation” moderator, and author, most recently, of Overload: Finding the Truth in Today’s Deluge of News. National Book Award-winning novelist Alice McDermott will be in conversation with Tayla Burney, a radio producer and creator of the WAMU Books events series. Other Saturday panels include sessions on climate change (from a writer’s perspective), “Political Books in the Age of Trump,” and how to get published. As always, you can count on enjoying the fellowship and networking with other established and aspiring authors."

Hedgebrook VORTEXT Salon. May 4 - 6, 2018, Whidbey Institute on Whidbey Island, about 35 miles northwest of Seattle. Workshops, panel discussions, lectures, open mics, and time to write in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for women writers.

The Massachusetts Poetry Festival. May 4 - May 6, 2018, Salem, Massachusetts. The Mass Poetry Festival offers nearly 100 poetry readings and workshops, a small press and literary fair, panels, poetry slams, and open-air readings. More than 150 poets will engage with thousands of New Englanders.

Mokulē‘ia Writers Retreat. May 6 - 11, 2018 in Waialua, Hawaii at Camp Mokulē‘ia, Oahu. Offers workshops in fiction and nonfiction, readings, one-on-one consultations, publishing panels, yoga sessions. The retreat is led by North Shore native Constance Hale, the author of Sin and Syntax, the editor of more than two dozen books, and a journalist whose stories about Hawai‘i appear on CD liner notes, as well as in publications like The Los Angeles Times and Smithsonian magazine. Hale invites a mix of writers, editors, and agents from both the islands and the mainland to lead various workshops and appear on panels.

Writing and Revising Narrative Nonfiction. May 7 - 12, 2018: Honesdale, PA. A writer of narrative nonfiction must work with both head and heart. Whether you’re writing a 1,200-word picture book, a 35,000-word middle grade, or a 65,000-word book for young adults, you need to carefully research to gather information and then assess its accuracy and relevance in order to create a compelling, true story. At this workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to dig deeply into your revision. Deadline for application: April 15.

Lakefly Writers Conference. May 11 - 12, 2018: Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Workshops, talks, and a bookfair for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Keynote is mystery writer Lori Rader-Day, author of The Day I Died, The Black Hour, and Little Pretty Things. She is the recipient of the 2016 Mary Higgins Clark Award. Many speakers and presenters.

Seaside Writers Conference (Now Longleaf Writers). May 13 - 20, 2018: Seaside Assembly Hall in Seaside, Florida. "The Seaside Writers Conference is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, and features award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and screenwriting who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, school outreach programs, and social events." Many authors, agents, editors.

Romance Times BookLovers. May 15 -20, 2018, Peppermill Resort, Reno, Nevada. More than 200 workshops led by bestselling authors and industry professionals covering craft, media & marketing, self-publishing, social media and business plus workshops led by star authors in genres including Romance. Urban Fantasy, Erotica, Mystery/Thriller/Suspense, Young Adult, New Adult, Inspirational, SF/Fantasy and Mainstream Fiction. Also book signings and many author events. Aspiring and published authors can make appointments with an agent or editor.

Writing By Writers Methow Valley Workshop. May 16 - 20 2018:Winthrop, WA. Faculty includes Dorothy Allison, Peter Ho Davies and Pam Houston. Tuition: $1,650 (before November 1) $1,750 (after November 1) includes one four-day workshop, admittance to all panels and readings, and all meals (dinner on Wednesday; three meals Thursday through Saturday; breakfast and lunch on Sunday) and lodging for four nights.

Nebula Conference. May 17th-20th, 2018, Pittsburgh, PA. SFWA members and other individuals who are interested in the field of science fiction and fantasy are welcome to attend SFWA’s Nebula Conference. Attendees may participate in workshops, programming and special events throughout the weekend. You do not need to be a member of SFWA to attend.

Red Ink Conference. May 19, 2018: Troy, MI. "Here are some topics we'll cover: From the Page to the Stage: Turning Your Bestselling Book into a Script, Self-Publishing Industry Secrets, How to Create a Bestselling Bio, The Bestseller Book Synopsis, Marketing to Make Money."

Creative Nonfiction Writers' Conference. May 24 - 26, 2018: Wyndham University Center in Pittsburgh. Master classes, craft discussions, publishing talks, pitch sessions, and readings for creative nonfiction writers. In just three days you can meet one-on-one with a literary agent or publishing consultant, get concrete advice from professional writers, hear what different kinds of editors are looking for, and hone your skills in an inspiring small-group session. You’ll also meet and mingle with writers from across the country who share your excitement about the writing process.

Sundress Academy for the Arts Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. May 25 - 27, 2018: Knoxville, Tennessee. The three-day, two-night camping retreat will be held at SAFTA's own Firefly Farms in Knoxville, Tennessee. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative poetry writing, and this year's poetry retreat will also include break-out sessions on writing political poetry, writing confession, kicking writer's block, publishing, and more.

Bear River Writers’ Conference. May 31 - June 4, 2018: Camp Michigania on Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, discussions, nature walks, and time to write. The faculty includes poets Tarfia Faizullah, Ross Gay, Thomas Lynch, Jamaal May, and Richard Tillinghast; poet and fiction writer Laura Kasischke; fiction writers Desiree Coope, Antonya Nelson, and Douglas Trevor; and creative nonfiction writers Jerry Dennis and Mardi Link. Tuition, including all meals and lodging, ranges from $715 for a bunk room to $875 for a private room with a private bathroom. The cost without lodging is $625. A deposit is required to secure enrollment; the balance is due by May 5.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

I have a special fondness for Canadian literary magazines. They often pay their writers, don't ask for "perpetual rights," and for the most part do not charge submission fees. In addition, Canada has a deep respect for literature and literacy. It is an honor to be published in one of their literary journals.

All of these magazines are paying markets. The majority accept non-Canadian writers. English is the preferred language, but sometimes French is accepted as well. I have indicated which magazines have submission periods, but not when they are unless the guidelines are explicit. (Read their guidelines carefully.) A few (not many) charge a small fee to submit online, but offer snail mail submissions, for which there is never a charge.

Note: You can find hundreds more paying markets on this page: Paying Markets.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Rachel Thompson, originator of #MondayBlogs (which you must participate in if you have a blog and you tweet), has noticed a glaring omission in the various Nanos. There is #NaNoWriMo, held every November as an incentive to get writers to either compose that novel they've always said they wanted to write, or finish that novel they always wanted to finish. After that there is #NaNoEdMo in March, which means if you were foolish enough to take the #NaNoWriMo challenge, you now have to edit your book. But there was no month for promotion.

Rachel has corrected that omission with #NaNoProMo, a whole month of resources for writers in May. The best part is that we don't have to actually do anything. We just need to pay attention. There will be posts every day from book marketing experts, chats daily prizes, and a chance to win a 30-minute Skype call with Hugh Howey.

Take a look at Rachel's article on Medium. (Now I know what I will be doing in May, aside from aging.)

Many of you are familiar with #NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) held every November) to inspire writers to write books. There’s even #NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month) every March to help writers edit the book they wrote in November). I researched and realized there was no book marketing specific month, and because ya know, I have nothing else going on *cough*, I created #NaNoProMo — National Novel Promotion Month, to take place in May. Ta-da!

To keep to the non-profit tradition, this is all about writers: helping writers, providing resources for writers, being there for writers. So here are the ‘rules:’

There Are No Rules

No daily hours to log. No website to report in to. No badge to win or display (though I may rethink that because I know people really like that shiz).

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The magazine market for younger readers is one many writers tend to miss. This is in part due to the fact that, unlike the adult literary journal market, one does not need to be a writer to publish in children's magazines. Articles can be written by parents, teachers, anyone with enough contact with children and young people to know what they like.

But where fiction is concerned, skilled writers are at a premium. If you write novels or are in the process of writing a novel for young readers, consider expanding on one of your characters or using your settings for a short piece.

Having your bio printed in a children's magazine will help draw attention to you and your books. (Even though these magazines are geared toward young people, their parents read them as well. I read my all children's magazines along with them.)

Note: For a list of paying markets for Humor, Short Stories, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Speculative Fiction and more see: Paying Markets.
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Aquila is a British magazine geared to children between the ages of 8 and 13. The magazine has a readership of 40,000 children, the
majority being in the 9-12 range. The content is designed to appeal to bright
children who are confident and independent readers. Genres: Short stories between 1,000 and 1,150 words; Nonfiction articles of 800 words. Payment: £90. Read guidelines HERE.

Bumples publishes two magazine: Bumples for ages 6-10 and Bumple Buds for ages 3-5. Genre: Illustrated fiction about children and animals in mysteries, sports, poems and fantasies with serialized adventures in each issue. Stories are supplemented with puzzles, question games, and activities. Payment: $30.00 for stories, $20.00 for poems and games. Read guidelines HERE.

Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market (12-17 age range), open to stories up to 6,000 words in length. The stories are audio and also published on the site. Genre: Fantasy, science fiction, light horror. Payment: $.06/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints. $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Cast of Wonders is a qualified SFWA Short Fiction market. Read guidelines HERE.

Cricket Media publishes 11 magazines for children from the ages of 6 months through teens. Genres: Fiction, poetry and nonfiction: Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Cricket, Cicada. Nonfiction: Click: Science and Discovery for ages 3-7; Ask: Science and Discovery for ages 7-10; Muse: Science and Discovery for ages 10 and up; Cobblestone American History for ages 9-14; Dig Into History: World History and Archaeology for ages 9-14; Faces: World Cultures and Geography for ages 9-14. Payment: 10 cents - 25 cents/word for submissions to Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Cricket, Cicada. Rates for nonfiction magazines are negotiated. Read guidelines HERE.

East of the Web is seeking children's stories aimed at age ranges between 5 and 12. Genre: All genres. Payment: Starts at $0.05 per word with a minimum of $200. Read guidelines HERE. Reprints accepted.

Ember is a semiannual journal for all age groups. Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged. Genres: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Payment: 2 cents per word or $20 per work, whichever is more. Read guidelines HERE.

FrostFire Worlds is intended for younger readers, from ages 8-17 and up. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy short stories, poems, art, articles, reviews, and interviews. Preferred are adventure stories, space opera, and magic opera [like space opera, but fantasy]. Also preferred are stories that take place on other worlds. Stories must have the following: characters the reader cares about, plots and subplots, and settings that draw the reader into them. Payment: $15 for original stories, $8 for reprints; $3.00 for original poems, $2.00 for reprints; $20 for cover art, $6 for interior illustrations. Read guidelines HERE.

Fun For Kidz is a magazine created for boys and girls from 6 to 13 years, with children 8, 9, and 10 the specific target age. Issues are themed. Genres: Nonfiction and fiction. Length: 300-325 words for a one-page magazine article or up to 600-650 words for a two-page magazine article. Payment: Five cents a word for both fiction and nonfiction, with additional payment given if the piece is accompanied by appropriate photos or art. Minimum of $10 per poem or puzzle, with variable rates offered for games, simple carpentry projects, etc. Read guidelines HERE.

Golden Fleece Press publishes two magazines: Wee Tales for ages 7 - 12, and Refractions for 13 and up. Refractions short submissions should be between 1000 and 5000 words, Wee Tales submissions should be between 600 and 2000 words. Genre: "The strange and the wonderful." Payment: Poetry, Puzzles, and Artwork are paid 35$ per accepted submission; Short Stories and Essays are paid $50 per accepted submission; Reprinted short story submissions are paid $20 per accepted submission; Reprinted poetry, puzzles, or artwork submissions are paid $15 per accepted submission; Combination submissions are paid their base rate plus $15 for the artwork ($5 in the case or reprints). Read guidelines HERE.

Guardian Angel Kids bills itself as a healthy and safe entertainment for 2-12 year old children. Genres: Games, stories and activities. Payment: 3 cents per word for articles and stories. Poems $10. Photos $3 each with an article. Original Artwork $5-25 per illustration-1 illustration/picture per article/story. Read guidelines HERE.

Highlights for Children publishes several magazines geared to pre-schoolers through grade school with a total circulation of more than one million. Genres: Stories, poems, illustrations, photography, hidden pictures, cartoons, puzzles, songs, and more. Payment: Pay ranges from $40 for art, poetry and crafts to $175 and up for fiction and articles. Read guidelines HERE.

Hunger Mountain is an annual print journal of the arts, housed at Vermont College of Fine Arts publishing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, visual art, young adult and children’s writing, and literary miscellany. Genres: YA and Children’s Lit: Please submit a text only manuscript of up to 8,000 words. Payment: $50 for prose and $25 for poetry. Read guidelines HERE. Opens for submissions on May 1.

Spaceports & Spidersilk is an online magazine for younger readers from 8 to 17 and beyond. Genres: Stories and poetry in fantasy, science fiction, and mild horror. "We want spooky, not terrifying. Most of all, we want ADVENTURES! And especially SF or fantasy adventures." Payment: $6.00 for each accepted original story; $2.00 for each accepted story reprint; $2.00 for each accepted poem; and 10.00 for the door art. Read guidelines HERE.

One Teen Story publishes 4 stories a year and accepts submissions from teen writers ages 13-19. Genres: Short stories of any genre—literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. . "We seek stories that deal with issues of identity, friendship, family, and coming-of-age. Gratuitous profanity, sex and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of well-written young adult fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words." Payment: $500 and 25 contributor copies. Read guidelines HERE.

U.S. Kids publishes two magazines, Humpty Dumpty (ages 2 - 6) and Jack and Jill (ages 6 -12). The magazines are designed to promote reading as well as sparking a child’s curiosity in a wide range of topics. Genres: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 and up. Read guidelines HERE. Submissions by snail mail only.

Youth Imagination publishes stories relevant to teens. Genres: Fiction, including modern, urban or classical fantasy, as well as sci-fi, slipstream, literary, action-adventure or suspense. "We particularly love stories exploring their issues, such as bullying, drugs, romance, school, parental issues, teacher issues, etc., as well as about the grit and character of teens and young adults." Payment: Flash 200 to 999 words $3; Short Story 1000 to 8,000 words $8; Long Story 8,001 to 20,000 word $15. In addition to the payments, there is a bonus of $2 per flash, story or long story for accepting payment via PayPal. Read Guidelines HERE.